New Sway Bar links on 2009 Camry

WilliamM2

Platinum Member
Jun 14, 2012
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Anyone have any experience with Camry rearsway bar links. Mine started to queak about 200 miles ago, and seem to ge worse each time I drive it.
According to what I have been reading, all aftermarket parts are junk now. which can't be true.

I've been looking at these:

I like that they have a wrench flat on the backside, instead of the Allen key used by most manufactures. Mine's rusty enough I'll probably have to use vice grips, or a nut splitter on all the connections, or cut em.

Anyone have experience with these, or other brands? OEM is $260 a pair, and they only lasted 83,000 miles. I'd like to get about 5 more years out of this car, about 2K miles a year. Heck, I just put in a new radiator 2.5K ago. Only the second repair it's needed.

I need new tires, but don't want a broken link stabbing a hole in them. I got quote a shop for $385, and they admitted they will use whatever is cheapest at the local auto parts store. Quoted $200 in parts!
 

Paperdoc

Platinum Member
Aug 17, 2006
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I'd start NOW by going underneath with a small wire brush to scrub old dirt and rust off the old nuts. Soak with penetrating oil. MAYBE re-soak in a week. That may let you unbolt with a normal socket wrench. Sometimes as a precaution for really stiff nuts I get a SIX-point socket which gets a much better grip and is less likely to round off the nut corners.

Another trick if the old nuts are so rusted they are undersize and the socket is too loose.Check for this now as you scrub clean to prepare which socket. If the nut is undersize or rounded switch to a socket of the OTHER type (that is, American versus Metric) that is just slightly too small for the actual nut. Position it on the nut and use a hammer to pound it on tight, then use that to turn it. When off, take the jammed socket and nut pair.You'll need some small rod like a drift pin inserted through the square hole of the socket to drive the nut out.

I note the six-sided wrench part of the threaded shaft of each link end. When the link is in place and its nut hand-mounted on the shaft end, the intent is that you need a THIN open-end wrench to fit on that part and hold it stationary while you tighten the nut. Maybe a small crescent or even some pliers. You will not need a of of torque to hold it stationary.
 

WilliamM2

Platinum Member
Jun 14, 2012
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I put penetrating oil on them a couple weeks ago. The bottom nuts on each link are basically round from corrosion. I doubt they will come off with a wrench, but that will be the first attempt. The allen key holes are round.

I was mostly interested in finding a GOOD brand of replacements, which is why I asked about CTR links. And if they do fail, should be easy to remove later.

Thanks.